Skip to main content

tv   CNN Newsroom  CNN  October 11, 2012 9:00am-11:00am PDT

9:00 am
>> i got my -- >> i got both of mine. >> so dr. williams pushes on, and it was when i asked her why that got her singing the hymn she learned so long ago. ♪ each man is my brother each man is my sister ♪ >> i'm sorry. >> martin savage, cnn, sumpter, south carolina. >> thanks to martin savage for that, and a post script to this report. a federal courtanel in washington yesterday ruled in favor of south carolina's voter id law, but it also said that this law can't go into you effect until next year. new voting legislation across the country has unleashed an explosive battle over who counts and your right to vote could be at stake. that's why we have this for you. cnn's documentary special called voters in america, who counts. it's joe johns. he is awesome, and it's sunday night at 8:00 eastern. i highly recommend you tune in to watch. thank you for watching us. do appreciate it. my friend and my league and a
9:01 am
very smart lady suzanne malveaux takes over the reigns now with "newsroom international." welcome to "newsroom international." i'm suzanne malveaux. we're going around the world in 60 minutes. here's what's going on right now. >> people w work at the u.s. embassy in yemen for more than 20 years shot dead. men on motorcycles, they ambushed his car, and she they killed him. officials in yemen say it looks like the work of al qaeda. more of what we know about the killing and why he may have in justple of minutes, revelation teammates of superstar cyclist lance armstrong. one says we hid from doping tests. he said armstrong had & his teammates, they were part of the most sophisticated and successful doping program in cycling history. the agency says 11 cyclists came forward to admit their use of banned performance enhancing drugs. we'll have more on that later in the hour, but, first, a new jobs
9:02 am
report that really surprised a lot of folks, including a lot of economists who just found out this morning the number of americans filing new unemployment claims plummeted last week. fell by 30,000. that is 339,000. it is the lowest level in the past four and a half years. many economists predicted the number of claims would actually go up. ere are a number of names on the ticket, but the spotlight, of course, on congressman paul ryan and vice president joe biden tonight. they are going to spar. their first and only debate. of course, pressure may be on biden after president obama's underwhelming debate performance last week. here's a new photo. we just got this. this is of biden. essentially he is prepping for the debate there. the vice president and his wife, jill, they are expected to arrive many danville, kentucky, in just a minute or so. just before he left his home state of delaware this morning, biden was asked about the debate. here's how he responded.
9:03 am
>> did you err see me rope-a-dope? >> rope-a-dope. briana in dan ville, kentucky, a lot of people know what that is from the days of mohammed aly, and some are looking to see what the vice president is going to do after a pretty disappointing performance from the president. we're all going to be focused on some of the back and forth here. what are the expectations? >> that's right, certainly we're looking to see if joe biden can stem the tide here. certainly it's in favor of the romney-ryan ticket. why is there all of this boxing terminology going on? well, take a look at this. this is one of the posters here for sale at center college. this is being set up with a lot of boxing terminology. perhaps that's part of it. also, suzanne, i wanted to tell you a little bit about that photo that we put up there
9:04 am
earlier. if we can show that again because that's something that only cnn has. you can only see it right here. it's an exclusive look. >> if you don't recognize the guy on the right, that is chris van holland. he is the ranking democrat. the top democrat on the house budget committee. he knows paul ryan because he is the budget chairman of that committee. you're seeing the back of the head of shayla murray. that is the communications director for the vice president. >> she's been playing martha are aedditz. the biden team went to great lengths to replicate the conditions that the vice president will face here in
9:05 am
danville, kentucky. that table, which is a semicircle with a small circle that the moderator sits at is exactly as it is here. that's very different than what we saw last week when jim was very much removed as the moderator from the president. these candidates are going to be very close, and so if they don't up attacking each other, it's going to have, i think, a lot more sort of a sense that it could be a personal attack. they're sitting right mechanics to each other, just as you'll see in the photo, suzanne. >> we're looking at live pictures inside the debate hall, and can you see the same -- pretty much the same setup there with the tables and the chairs and the intimate setup there. what do you think? ho do you think that's going to influence how these two very strong personalities interact with each other? they're not going to be behind those podiums like we saw with the president and romney, but very much in a close setting. we think that's going to encourage fireworks, or do you
9:06 am
think they'll be more polite? >> i think that what it kind of does is it emphasizes whatever happens. obviously, it's going to be very intimate, so there's more of an opportunity for them. at least off the get go to be polite to each other and be gracious. >> there was some credited simple of the moderator in the debate in denver of jim that he wasn't able to really get in there or didn't make enough of an effort. i think in this case just because of physically the way it's set up that you can see martha radditz will have more of an opportunity to almost physically be a part of this discussion. i think it certainly does open it up for fireworks since there are so close. it has a hand to hand combat feel like in denver.
9:07 am
>> we had not seen joe bide news 10 a tv interview since five months ago when he was on "meet the press" and he was ahead of the president when it came to approval on same-sex marriage. do we think that that is a very deliberate strategy from the obama campaign to keep him out there until he is ready, he is fully prepared to take on his opponent? >>. >> i think when you say how many interviews has paul ryan done, how many interviews has joe bideern done? zero. that's not part of their press strategy, obviously, and we do know certainly that joe biden doesn't always have the most discipline with his messages, and so i think what they're looking toward is this debate, and you say, oh, what if he is going to gaff tonight in the debate? if you look at him and he has been citiesed on a national stage with national debates, he doesn't actually tend to be gaff-prone during debates, so i think his team right now is feeling confident with that,
9:08 am
suzanne. >> all right. good. you've got a front row seat, briana. we are definitely envious of that front row seat. joe biden said he is excited. he sat down with other own dana bash to talk about his prep for the debate, and dana asked about biden's last debate opponent. >> the only other person to debate joe biden in a vice president debate is sarah palin. have you called her for advice? >> i have her. i only pet meth her once, and that was about two years ago. >> would you? >> sure, sure. >> can i call you joe? >> she famously or maybe infamously said that she wanted to call him joe because she kept calling him joe o'biden in debate prep. >> he knows me as paul, and i know him as swroe. i don't know. i haven't given much thought to that, to be honest with you. probably not unless he wants to make a case of it, but we know each other. actually we've gotten along quite well over the years. i like joe personally quite a bit. i just disagree with his
9:09 am
policies. >> all right. dana is in danville, and, you know, we've all been trying not to say o'biden because it gets kind of cooky sometimes when you're mixing up all of the names here, but it's really -- >> that was sarah palin's problem. >> it's fascinating because you really had a chance to get to know paul ryan. you've talked with him. you interviewed him. you learned the most fascinating details about what he does, some of the habits that he has. you say he has pounds of paper in his briefcase. he did p90x. we often see the white board. talk about the rituals that he has in prep and what it says about him. >> he has said and other people who i talked to who know him well have said that his whole m.o., his whole life has been to be prepared, and that is how he got to where he got at the young age that he did. remember, he ran for congress when he was 27 years old. that is something that i know i personally -- in fact, i said to him we're about the same age. i reminded him that he is older,
9:10 am
suzanne, but i said i was in washington at the time, and i know a lot of very ambitious people, and didn't know many people who had the gum shon to run for congress, and his answer was that he surrounded himself with people who were high profile people that became mentors like jack kemp, who happened to also be a republican vice presidential candidate and bill bennett, and he talked a little bit about this during his convention speech, but the fact that his father died so suddenly when paul ryan was only 16 -- >> some of that interview that you did with ryan for our viewers just to kind of give him a sense of some of those stories that he told you in your exclusive interview. let's watch.
9:11 am
>> have you kaeld her for advice? >> i don't really know her. i met her once, and that was about two years ago. >> would you? >> sure, sure. >> can i call you joe? >> all right. sorry we played the same byte there, but that was a good one. tell us about some of the things he mentioned because he has a lot of very interesting stories, and how he is actually prepared -- how he prepares when he goes hunting, how he prepares when he goes debating. describe that for us, and what you have learned. >> he showers in nonscented detergent and spraz his clothing after he already washed the clothes in nonscented detergent. that is to keep the deer -- he is a deer hunter away from him. it's not that unusual for hunters, but i was told that he takes that to a whole different level. when i asked him about that, he says that is how i do everything in life. i do everything to the n' th degree and try to be meticulous.
9:12 am
looking at the big briefcase that he has of binders which he has been carrying around for a couple of months now. he has been studying very, very hard, cramming for this, and then in the most recent weeks he has been doing the mock -- same mock debates briana was talking about with joe biden. he hae has been doing it for a longer period of time with ted olson, who, as you know, is a renowned litigator. he argued bush v gore for the republican side, and he is the same generation as joe biden, which is good because there is a generational difference between the two of them. >> there are photos that appear on the issues of newsstands. this is actually coming out tomorrow. there are pictures of him posing as he has been working out. we know that he is a big work-out p 90 x guy. does he take a risk? does he have these risks at times of appearing not presidential, or do you think it's not fair -- a fair assessment of him for "time" to put these photos out now? >> well, ryan talks all the time -- at least when he was first picked -- about his workout regimen and certainly covering him in congress.
9:13 am
that's what he is known for. he is the guy in the gym every single morning, and he is the leader of that pack. with regard to these pictures, the story is if you just look on "time's" website, it tells you that he was one of the finalists for "time's" person of the year, and so that's why they took these photographs. why did they do this now, why put it out now? you know, they're in the news business just like we're in the news business, and it is a newsy day for paul ryan. why not put them out now? how does ryan's -- want to know how ryan's camp feels about it? >> yes. >> well, they're trying to take it -- take it in stride. we put up a quote from ryan's spokesperson of michael steal. he said paul ryan takes his health seriesly. clearly, judging by these silly pictures, he doesn't take himself too seriously." they're just kind of trying to brush it off, you know. unclear if -- not unclear. it's pretty clear that those are not the kinds of photos that they want out there the day that he is going up against the sitting vice president, but they acknowledge -- >> they acknowledge they look silly, so that's probably an appropriate response. dana, thank you so much four
9:14 am
your excellent reporting. we'll be watching the vice presidential debate. we want you to watch it as well. tonight live right here on cnn on cnn.com, our coverage starting at 7:00 p.m. eastern. here's more of what we're working on for this hour of "newsroom international." u.s. embasseyy worker shot dead in yemen. we'll tell you why this attack could mean real trouble for that country. and what it means in a race for the white house. ul? how about...by the bowlful? campbell's soups give you nutrition, energy, and can help you keep a healthy weight. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.
9:15 am
campbell's. i"i'm not in favor of a a$5 trillion tax cut. that's not my plan." mitchell: "the nonpartisan tax policy center concluded that mitt romney's tax plan would cost $4.8 trillion over 10 years." vo: why won't romney level with us about his tax plan, which gives the wealthy huge new tax breaks? because according to experts, he'd have to raise taxes on the middle class - or increase the deficit to pay for it. if we can't trust him here... how could we ever trust him here? and i was told to call my next of kin. at 33 years old, i was having a heart attack. now i'm a bayer aspirin regimen. [ male announcer ] be sure toalk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. i didn't know this could happen so young. take control, talk to your doctor.
9:16 am
i didn't know this could happen so young. ffor help finding a plan that's right for you,
9:17 am
give unitedhealthcare a call today. a man who is investigating violence against the u.s. embassy in yemen is now shot dead in a street today. it happened in yellen's capital. the man was a yemeni fwhooshl had worked for the embassy for 20 years. witnesses say men on motorcycles drove up next to his car and opened fire. it happened in broad daylight in one of the city's main streets, and the way he was killed, his long career with the u.s. government making officials believe at perhaps he was singled out and targeted. want to talk about paula about this, and what do we know about the victim and who do we think is responsible? >> this is one of the stories we're covering on cnn international and following -- you mentioned this was a senior official at the u.s. embassy, a yemeni national that had worked
9:18 am
there for almost two decades. his name hasem. the attackers, as you mentioned, driving up to the car on motorcycles, and this does, as far as sources at cnn have spoken to, sort of bear the hallmarks of an al qaeda-style attack where they targeted -- they knew the route that this man took to work. he was off duty, according to a state department official who spoke with skr nn. now, you'll remember, of course, the source in yemen was a target of attacks and protests against that anti-islam film. some protesters that day breached the perimeter, burned the u.s. flag, and some sources are saying that mr. aklan was investigate this particular attack. others have not been able to confirm that to us. >> is this the same sclad that the u.s. is fighting in afghanistan, this al qaeda that's in yemen? >> well, the yemen -- the central government in yemen doesn't control all of the territory in yemen and al qaeda and the arabian peninsula is in control of some large parts of the territory, and they have
9:19 am
vowed to attack u.s. and western interests, and if, indeed, the investigation does reveal that this is an al qaeda attack against this gentleman, mr. aklan, that they know it would not be surprising, because t tactic the similar, and this is something it works hard to do. it attacks the central government that is allied with the united states as well as. >> the prime minister on turkey has come out and said that a civilian-syrian airliner that yesterday was flying from moscow to damascus that was diverted to aink are a by turkish fighter jets was carrying military equipment to syria. this is raising tensions, of course, in the region between turkey and syria. those two countries are already very much in a tense relationship because of some of
9:20 am
the cross-border fire and violence. >> but interestingly, also mentioning the fact that munition were on this plane. >> i than athat cnn hasn't independently confirmed it yet, but what does that nation in terms of russia's role in arming the syrian government? >> they're -- he is not accusing and we are not hearing from turkish official that is it is the russian government, but that it is a russian military equipment manufacturer. that the equipment found on this plane, according to turbish officials and the prime minister in this instance originateed in russia and were bound for the ministry of defense in syria. >> very important statement. >> syria for its part -- >> yes. >> has said that this is an act of piracy because, remember, this was a civilian airliner that was bound for damascus that was forced down in anchora by turkish fighter jets. this is yet another piece of the puzzle raising the level of
9:21 am
tension a little bit more in that part of the world. >> do we know if putin -- what are putin's plans. >> we do know that he had a trip planned -- an official trip planned for turkey, but it was postponed to december 3rd. this is what we're hearing now. we don't know if it's related to this incident or not. >> all the latest news. thank you very much. appreciate it. it is being called the most sophisticated and successful doping program in cycling history. his teammates say that lance armstrong was at the center of it. ♪
9:22 am
♪ ♪ we're lucky, it's not every day you find a companion as loyal as a subaru. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. your soups are so awesomely delicious my husband and i can't stop eating 'em! what's...that... on your head? can curlers! tomato basil, potato with bacon... we've got a lot of empty cans. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. we don't let frequent heartburn come between us and what we love. so if you're one of them people who gets heartburn and then treats day after day... block the acid with prilosec otc and don't get heartburn in the first place! [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn.
9:23 am
9:24 am
the startling revelations from former teammates of superstar cyclist lance armstrong. one says "we hid from doping drug tests." casey wyan has the details. >> reporter: united states anti-doping agency has released what it calls overwhelming evidence that seven-time tour de france winner lance armstrong "doped throughout the majority of his professional cycling career." in august the agency banned armstrong from competition for life. now it's releasing more than 1,000 pages of evidence and sworn statements by 26 people, including 11 of armstrong's former teammates. the u.s. ada called it the most
9:25 am
sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that the sport has ever seen." >> the black sox scandal in baseball. i think this was a seminole on moment not just for cycling, but for sports, for anti-doping in sport. >> several former armstrong teammates released statements admitting their own doping histories and vowed to help clean up the sport. armstrong has repeatedly denied doping and his image has survived the scandal largely intact. he has kept endorsement deals with nike and anheuser-busch. one reason the well respected charity he founded 15 years ago. live strong has raised nearly half a billion dollars to fight cancer, a disease armstrong himself has beaten. >> he has done amazing things for people with cancer, and he has given a lot of people hope in this world, and to many millions of americans and people around the world lance armstrong will always be a hero, and none of these allegations are ever going to change that.
9:26 am
>> armstrong's attorney called usada's report a one-sided hatchet job, a taxpayer funded tabloid piece rehashing old disproved unreliable allegations based largely on ax grinders, serial purgerers, coerced testimony, sweetheart deals, and threat-induced stories. back in february the u.s. attorney here in los angeles abruptly closed a two-year criminal fraud investigation into armstrong's alleged doping program. we asked the u.s. attorney's office if these newly released documents could reopen that criminal investigation. a spokesman declined to comment. casey wyan, cnn, los angeles. it was win or go home as the top two golfers on the planet faced off at the world golf final. that happened in turkey. rory mcilroy went home. tiger beat him. woods advances to the semifinals, but not so bad for mcilroy. he leaves the course with $300,000 in prize money.
9:27 am
for republicans a win could add up to their momentum for democrats it can be about getting back after a tough loss. we are talking debate strategy. the last hours before the vice presidential debate. i tried weight loss plans... but their shakes aren't always made for people with diabetes. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. and they have six grams of sugars. with fifteen grams of protein to help manage hunger... look who's getting smart about her weight. [ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes.
9:28 am
boring. boring. [ jack ] after lauren broke up with me, i went to the citi private pass page and decided to be...not boring. that's how i met marilyn... giada... really good. yes! [ jack ] ...and alicia. ♪ this girl is on fire [ male announcer ] use any citi card to get the benefits of private pass. more concerts, more events, more experiences. [ jack ] hey, who's boring now? [ male announcer ] get more access with the citi card. [ crowd cheering, mouse clicks ]
9:29 am
9:30 am
>> want to take to you some live pictures that we're looking at out of danville, kentucky, for tonight's -- actually, this is lexington, kentucky that, is he going to be heading to danville. that is air force 2, of course. can you see the door just beginning to open there as they bring the stairs to eventually where the vice president will exit, and he will travel to the debate site. of course, a lot of anticipation over his performance with ryan tonight and how that's going to go after the last presidential debate. want to talk about that. mitt romney's big win in last week's debate, of course, receiving now about, we understand, in the polls how long it's going to last, we really don't know. that question, of course, could be answered tonight. we're talking about this one and only vice presidential debate
9:31 am
from our senior political analyst and national editorial director and, ron, you and i were at those vice presidential debates. last go round back in 2008 when a record 70 million people watch that night. there was so much excitement, and i think there was a lot of curiosity, how sarah palin was going to go up against joe biden and a lot that came out of that debate. what do we make of the expectations tonight between biden and now ryan? >> well, first of all, i would be surprised if the audience was as big as it was in 2008 when sarah palin was a political and cultural phenomenon. the romney-obama debate received an enormous audience, even bigger than we expected. i was at the last debate in danville, the vice presidential debate between joe lieberman and dick cheney, but i think the analogy here, the model here, is really the 2004 vice president ideal debate. then as now, you had a first debate where the incumbent president -- in that case george w. bush and in this case president obama did not do nearly as well as expected.
9:32 am
obama i think had a much tougher night than bush did in the first debate in 2004, and it came to the vice presidential debate to try to kind of right the ship and steady the momentum, and in 2004 dick cheney was able to do that in his debate against john edwards, and there will be that pressure, i think,n joe biden tonight. really to change the storyline. i mean, the polls suggest that there's a clear advantage for romney from that first debate, but it's kind of stabilizing, where nonetheless, if ryan has a strong night tonight, congressman ryan, it will reinforce a storyline and amplification. that will be a problem for democrats. >> again, we're going to look at these pictures. this is air force 2 obviously preparing for the vice president to step down off the plane, and he will be heading to the debate site. talk a little bit about what's at stake here because often the vice presidential debates don't really make that much difference when you take a look at the overall picture, but you still have some people, especially after obama's kind of lackluster performance, who are undecided, who are actually looking at this and now you have mitt romney and obama neck and neck now. >> yeah. i think a lot of things change
9:33 am
in that first presidential debate, which makes this -- which makes this somewhat more consequential than usual. as you point out, people don't usually vote for the vice president. the vice presidential debate is not a central factor in the campaign. probably the biggest, you know, effective blow ever landed in a vice presidential debate was lloyd ben son against dan yale in 1988. you're no jack kennedy. didn't affect the outcome of the race. what matters here is the democrats have to re-establish a case both on the offense and really the defense. what they want to do and the port rat they want to paint of the republicans. president obama really failed to do either one of those things. he failed to identify a compelling second term agenda that he wants to put out, and he really didn't identify or reinforce the arguments that his ticket has made against the republicans for months, and i think there will be enormous pressure on the vice president to kind of move both of those lines of argument forward tonight. >> do you think we're going to hear from the vice president some of the things that the president did not mention, the 47% comment that mitt romney made, the role of bain capital, the issue of how much he pays in taxes?
9:34 am
>> well, i think some of the things about romney himself. >> he has made arguments like that, repeatedly, dozen of times, it is central to his view of the debate about the role of government. he has repeatedly argued that once we get to a point where a majority of americans are receiving government benefits of one sort or another, they will vote themselves more benefits at the expense of those who are paying taxes. i mean, mitt romney has, as you know, and sean hannity renounce whatted he said about the 47%, but it is essential to paul ryan's view of the world, so it will be interesting to see what he says about it, and mitt romney's later comments about it. >> i want to you see this. again, our viewers were looking at air force two. we're waiting for the vice president to get out of the plane, and obviously go to deet bait site, but, ron, i want you to talk a little bit about this because this is ronald reagan when he blew his first debate against walter mondale. this happened back in 1984.
9:35 am
he seemed confused. some people, you know, thought elderly and confused. he really came back with -- in the second debate. here's what he said. >> and i want you to know that also i will not make age an issue of this campaign. i am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience. >> ron, does biden need to throw one of those at ryan there? i mean, these guys are not the same age. >> game, set, match in 1984. no, it's interesting. this is the widest age gap we've had in a vice presidential debate. on the other hand, what's interesting, suzanne, you know, they both are sort of unusually early starting politicians. biden was elected to the senate at 29. paul ryan to the house at 28. they both kind of made their way in washington, but i think the contrast between them will be enormous. joe biden can't reverse this race by himself. the race has changed, i think, fundamentally. you had a slice of voters that
9:36 am
were dissatisfied with obama that did not see romney as a viable alternative. some do see him as a viable alternative. i think we're going to have a closer race all the way through, but democrats need to re-establish, as i said, the storylines that they had, the arguments that they have to successfully drive going into that first debate. both in their portrayal as romney as someone and the republican ticket more concerned about the wealthy than the middle class, and also the argument that this represents a choice of directions for the country. president obama really didn't move forward on either of those fronts. this is only the beginning for them, but biden has to move the ball forward tonight. >> got to leave it there. we'll both be watching, and, of course, we'll talk about this on the other end tomorrow. good to see you, as always. >> she just got out of prison in moscow. now a member of the russian punkers pussy riot is now talking. we'll hear about her time behind bars. [ woman ] before allegra,
9:37 am
9:38 am
i was constantly fighting indoor allergies. after allegra, i found peace. only allegra is both fast and non-drowsy, and it works on my outdoor allergies, too. after allegra, i have it all. it's how communication works... ...and your finances, too. it's asking questions, and really listening.
9:39 am
that's how wells fargo helps you better manage your money... and find saving solutions like my savings plan that help you monitor and achieve your savings goals.... ...so you can be ready for whatever happens day to day... ...and still achieve the financial goals that matter most. have a savings goal? let's have a conversation. wells fargo. together we'll go far. russia punk singer just freed from prison says she is
9:40 am
not going to stop staging political protests. she is a member of the band pussy riot. she and two other band members were found guilty of hooliganism after they performed a song that was critical of russn itappenedsi cow'sn th hpened in february. the three were sentenced in two years -- for two years in prison, but she says she was released yterday because she wasn't actually at that performance. she talked exclusively with christian amanpor about her time behind bars. >> translator: we were in separate rooms, in separate cells, so we were isolated in special holding cells. we had three to four other cell mates, and people were sort of cautious. we were always recorded. we were always on camera. there was some additional security measures, but then they treated us in a more even-handed sort of in a calmer fashion.
9:41 am
>> she was shot in the head by the taliban. we'll have the latest on the 14-year-old girl from pakistan who stood up for what she believes in and paid the price. with arthritis pain. s and two pills. afternoon's overhaul starts with more pain. more pills. triple checking hydraulics. the evening brings more pain. so, back to more pills. almost done, when... hang on. stan's doctor recommended aleve. it can keep pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is rudy. who switched to aleve. and two pills for a day free of pain. ♪ and get the all day pain relief of aleve in liquid gels. ♪ ♪ ♪ we're lucky,
9:42 am
it's not every day you find a companion as loyal as a subaru. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. i"i'm not in favor of a a$5 trillion tax cut. that's not my plan." mitchell: "the nonpartisan tax policy center concluded that mitt romney's tax plan would cost $4.8 trillion over 10 years." vo: why won't romney level with us about his tax plan, which gives the wealthy huge new tax breaks? because according to experts, he'd have to raise taxes on the middle class - or increase the deficit to pay for it. if we can't trust him here... how could we ever trust him here?
9:43 am
i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like a standardized medicare supplement plans, it could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral. see why millions of people have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans
9:44 am
endorsed by aarp. don't wait. call now. wlerned just last hour that 14-year-old pakistani girl who was shot by the taliban has been transferred to a military hospital as her condition is now worsening. we've been telling you about malala. since tuesday's shooting gunmen boarded her school bus, called her out by name and shot her in the head and neck. she was targeted for her social media activism supporting education for girls, something as simple as that. well, there's been condemnation of this attack and support for the teenager has been growing from washington to the united nations, around the world. reza sayya is joining us live from -- you have been all over
9:45 am
this story talking to the doctors and the family medicine. how is she doing? what is the update? >> reporter: well, doctors say she's in critical condition. we've also spoken to the uncle within the past hour. he's saying that doctors are now hopeful, that she's out of danger, but the next 24 to 36 hours are going to be critical. this is the period after operation yesterday. of course, there's been an outpouring of emotion for this young girl. the last time we saw this kind of outpouring was probably 2007 when the former prime minister was assassinated, but now here we're talking about a 14-year-old girl. this is the kind of impact she's had on many here, and probably the impact has been strongest in pakistan's lass rooms. >> and you visited actually the school islamabad there today. tell us about what these children are saying, if they're afraid, if they're worried. >> reporter: >> fest offer, they're shocked
9:46 am
and horrified that this happened, but they're also hopeful. they're praying that malala recovers. for the past 24 hours they've been making posters, banners, get well cards. we spoke to a few of them here in islamabad. here's a look at that report. >> it was malala's nonstop courage to speak out against the taliban that first captured the hearts of many of this country's youth. >> i said i must stand up for my rights. the right of education. the right for peace. >> she was targeted for fighting for girls education. now it's her fight to survive that has countless young admirers praying for her in schools throughout pakistan. >> did everyone hear about what happened to malala? >> yes. >> when students at islamabad's school learned militants had shot malala in the head, they made banners, wrote her letters, demanding the government to do everything to save her. >> i was really shocked because she was so ambitious, and like, she's the girl which pakistani
9:47 am
girls should look up to, and now she's been shot, and i pray for her. >> who in here was inspired with what malala said and what she did? >> to have the courage to just go against all that, i think that was quite respectable. >> so has anyone here decided to maybe change the way they live their life because of malala? anyone in. >> in our society it's considered that girls don't have rights and we don't get to study. i think that's completely wrong. we have same rights as men, and we will stand up for our rights, and we will go out and encourage all girls to study. sfoo now, malala liked to speak up even though she was in a dangerous situation. how many of you are finding yourselves speaking up more about things that are not right because of malala? >> well, i like to -- i want these people to learn that -- women are not all bad. they're basically afraid of
9:48 am
giving women equal rights because they're afraid of what women can do because they know women can do a lot. >> reporter: obviously, malala has inspired a lot of girls, but boys go to school here, and here's what's remarkable. malala is inspiring the boys as well. >> does malala inspire you? >> yeah, she does. >> she does? >> yeah. >> how so? >> leak, i want to take advantage of school. i actually want to study, so -- >> because of malala? >> yeah. >> what i learned from her is education is the best thing. if you get education, then you will be a better person. >> reporter: motivated to be better people, work hard, get an education, and the source of their inspiration? a remarkable 14-year-old girl now fighting for her life. >> as i understand, the taliban have now warned that if she survives this time, she is not going to survive next time. i mean, that is pretty direct threat to this little girl. can she even be protected?
9:49 am
>> well, there's a huge pressure on the pakistani government and the pakistani military to protect this girl. authorities say they offered her protection years ago, and she turned it down. there's going to be pressure on e government to offer protection moving forward, but make no mistake, the focus right now is her medical condition. they want her to get better. they have their best doctors they say treating her. they want to get her out of the hospital up on her feet as soon as possible. >> all right. thank you so much. excellent reporting. really appreciate you bringing this story to us. clearly, a lot of support for this little girl and really opens a window to what is taking place inside pakistan. well, a dark part of history now is coming to light in one amazing, amazing performance. >> despint requiem tells the story of it as an act of defiance, and inspired declaration by prisoners against
9:50 am
nazi oppression. >> reporter: concentration camp prisoners sang what they could not say to their captors. now one conductor is bringing their story to life on the stage. drug and alcohol abuse is up. and those dealing with grief don't have access to the professional help they need. when you see these issues, do you want to walk away or step up? with a degree in the field of counseling or psychology from capella university, you'll have the knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. let's get started at capella.edu [ "the odd couple" theme playing ] humans. even when we cross our "t"s and dot our "i"s, we still run into problems -- mainly other humans. at liberty mutual insurance, we understand.
9:51 am
that's why our auto policies come with accident forgiveness if you qualify, where your rates won't go up due to your first accident, and new car replacement, where if you total your new car, we give you the money for a new one. call... to talk to an insurance expert about everything else that comes standard with our base auto policy. [ tires squeal ] and if you get into an accident and use one of our certified repair shops, your repairs are guaranteed for life. call... to switch, and you could save hundreds. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy?
9:52 am
9:53 am
>> let's go back in history for a moment. at a concentration camp jewish prisoners were forced to sing for the nazis. ♪
9:54 am
>> the song is just one small part of defiant requiem conducted by murray sidland, and murray is joining us now. it's so powerful and so impressive to see you and what you do and to experience that performance. tell us where this came from and the jewish prisoners that performed it for the nazis in defiance. >> rafael schecter was the conductor of 16 performances of the verde requiem, and he had only had one score, and he had to teach volunteer prisoners to sing this by rote. i began a quest to find survivors, and they became my teachers and told me the story that it wasn't only the erde pn defiance and aresance of nazi
9:55 am
oppression. they could sing things that they couldn't say to the nazis, so in retranslating the mass, instead of the last section which is deliver me oh lord, it became liberate me oh lord and everything will be avenged and all this is in the mass, but instead of god speaking to the individual, they threw it out to the nazis. i found prisoners and put it together, and a foundation came out of this, the defiant requiem foundation which i head up with the ambassador -- >> i want our listeners, our viewers, to actually see some of the survivors and their stories and what they told you. let's play that. >> sure. ♪ >> it's very uplifting, and i think you forget where you are. you forget the surrounding. you -- there are things that today i can't imagine what did we do for this? >> what does it mean for them? >> well, i think it takes them back to the time when they heard
9:56 am
the music and the lectures and the cabaret and all the arts that flourished among the prisoners to give themselves hope, courage, dignity, and to maintain what, above all, a quest for life. you know, and we're working in conjunction here with the wonderful anti-defamation league that is getting ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary as one of the leading organizations against oppression and bigotry, and we share that, and defiant requiem and also the subject of our new documentary film entitled "defiant requiem." >> what makes it different that it is music that brings this message? zi think it works like this. >> when language can no longer suffice to express the deep emotions that you had, the fear, the anguish, all of that, we turn to art because art allows
9:57 am
us to go way beyond normal language. these turn to art and humanity, 2,400 lectures and 1,000 concerts. at first it was -- then it was permitted. so these are a people who are an inspiration, a beacon to those of us in present day to respond to the worst of mankind with the best of mankind. >> thank you so much. a very powerful message. a powerful perform wrans. i would recommend anyone go see it. thank you for your time. really appreciate it. we're going to take a quick break, and then we'll have more on the vice presidential debate coming up. i tried weight loss plans... but their shakes aren't always made for people with diabetes. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. and they have six grams of sugars. with fifteen grams of protein to help manage hunger... look who's getting smart about her weight.
9:58 am
[ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes. [ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, they pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay.
9:59 am
and save you up to thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. call today to request a free decision guide to help you better understand what medicare is all about. and which aarp medicare supplement plan works best for you. with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients... plus, there are no networks, and you'll never need a referral to see a specialist. there's a range of plans to choose from, too. and they all travel with you. anywhere in the country. join the millions who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations... and provided by unitedhealthcare insurance company, which has over 30 years of experience behind it. call today. remember, medicare supplement insurance helps cover some of what medicare doesn't pay -- expenses that could really add up.
10:00 am
these kinds of plans could save you up to thousands in out-of-pocket costs... you'll be able choose any doctor who accepts medicare patients. and you never need referrals. so don't wait. with all the good years ahead, look for the experience and commitment to go the distance with you. call now to request your free decision guide. this easy-to-understand guide will answer some of your questions, and help you find the aarp medicare supplement plan that's right for you. i'm suzanne malveaux. we are counting down to tonight's first and only vice presidential debate. we're going on get the latest on the last minute debate prep from
10:01 am
both camps. vice president joe biden and congressman paul ryan facing off at center college in danville, kentucky. it is not the first time this small town of about 16,000 people have been in the political spotlight. danville hosted the 2000 vice presidential debate between dick cheney and joe lieberman. well, tonight vice president biden, congressman ryan going to be trying to win over those undecided voters. some polls putting their numbers around 12%. reporters, analysts breaking down the issues. what's at steak here? we're going to have live reports from dana bash, briana, and our other wolf blitzer. paul ryan saying he has been doing his homework. doesn't feel intimated going into tonight's debate. our dana bash, she has got the details of his meticulous debate prep, when she sat down to interview with the congressman. she's joining us from danville, and, dana, really fascinating what you actually did because you talked to the congressman about everything from how he prepares for hunting to how he prepares for the debate. give us the sense of if there's even a connection here. >> there is a connection.
10:02 am
they're very similar. in fact, let's listen to what he said about that. >> i want to start by telling you what a source told me. you wash your clothes in nonscented detergent and shower in nonscented soap and spray nonscented stuff on your boots. i know this is somewhat typical for hunting, but that you take it to a whole other level. >> if you're in arrivery into bow hunting, that's the way to do it to be successful. i like the strategy of bow hunting. it takes a lot of preparation, and i do take it seriously because i am much more successful if i do things carefully and am prepared the right way. >> how does that speak to how meticulous you are? >> i just believed if you are going to do something, i'll do it well. joe biden has been doing this for a long time. he ran for president twice. he is a sitting vice president. he has been on this big stage many times before, so that's new for me, and i'm just doing my homework and studying the issues, and, i mean, i know how he will come and attack us.
10:03 am
the problem he has is he has barack obama's record he has to run on. >> are you intimated taumt based on the background that you just described? >> i'm not intimated. i'm actually excited about it. >>. >> tell us what you learned, dana. >> now, there you heard -- oh, i was just going to say you heard the expectations game that we've heard so much from both candidates, from both camps saying, oh, the other one is great, no, the other one is great. in all honesty, it is true that joe biden has debated on a national stage several times before, but it is also true that paul ryan is a member of the house of representatives. he debates all the time on the house floor. he has debated on a much, much smaller stage in congressional campaigns before, so he certainly says he is comfortable, but that's another thing is the generational difference you're going to see tonight. joe bide seven a generation plus older than paul ryan. i asked about that about whether or not that is, you know, potentially problematic for him.
10:04 am
he said that because he went to congress when he was 28 years old, he is used to being with people who are much older than he, and so that won't necessarily be a problem, but, you know, he sort of plays it down, but he has been working very, very hard. he has been doing those mock debates with his sparring partner who is ted olson. he is, of course, the former solicitor general. very good litigator. they've been doing it all over the country, suzanne, in moelgts hotel rooms from oregon to virginia to florida. today he is resting with his family, but he is working very hard to prepare for tonight. >> dana, tell us one of the things. i know he is a big p09x guy. he is not shy about it, and we've seen "time magazine" has come out with photos on newsstands tomorrow, and explain a little bit about this here because some might look at this and say he risks not really appearing presidential in some of these photos. explain how these photos came about, why "time magazine" put them out now and how the campaign is responding. >> if he looks like he is not
10:05 am
presidential it's because when he took these photos, he wasn't even close to being on the presidential ticket. he took them about 11 months ago when "time magazine" was preparing for thurman of the year or the person of the year now, their issue, and he was one of the final contenders, and so they went and took photos of him. he did agree to take those pictures, which his campaign certainly is not thrilled about given where he is now on the vice presidential stage, but the reason time magazine did it is because, you know, they're in the same business that you and i are. they're in the news business, and they know that today is a big day for paul ryan. they had these photographs. they put them out. the public reaction from the ryan campaign is muted trying to sort of take this in stride. i will read you a quick quote from ryan's spokesman, michael steele. he said paul ryan takes his health seriously. clearly judging by these silly pictures, he doesn't take himself too seriously. there you have it. not exactly the image that they want today, but sometimes you can't control these things when you're in the campaign.
10:06 am
>> i'm sure we'll be seeing a more serious side to him later in the evening with the debate. dana, thanks, as always. plenty interview. excellent work. we're all going to be looking and watch this debate very closerly. you can see dana's full interview with the congressman, paul ryan tonight, that's during cnn coverage of the vice presidential debate. coverage beginning at 7:00 eastern on cnn andcnn.com. also, to paul ryan's opponent, vice president joe biden and his wife, ill, touching down in kentucky. this happened about -- these pictures taken about a half hour ago. we watched them get off the plane at air force 2. we also have an exclusive photo that we just got in. this is of biden who was prepping for the debate. he is actually practicing with congressman chris van holland who knows ryan pretty well and just before he left his home state of delaware this morning, biden was asked about the debate. here's what he said. >> i'm -- areou on the plane with us? >> yeah. >> all right. well, all right. >> those guys -- you ever seen me rope-a-dope?
10:07 am
>> i want to bring in bree anna keiller in danville, kentucky. tell us, first of all, the rope-a-dope reference. we've heard about that. it's something from mohammed ali, he used to do it back in the day, and he was originally from kentucky. it's a debate strategy, yeah? >> yeah. and not just from kentucky. from louisville, mohammed ali is, and this is being billed here, this debate tonight, as the thrill in the villebetween joe biden and paul ryan. that may be why all of the boxing references. back to that exclusive photo. this is a look that you can only see here on cnn of the setup that joe biden has had for the last few days setting up for this debate. joe biden has been holed up for the last four dies in what has been a debate camp. he had a schedule where he would prepare at his house. he has a house there in delaware, and he would go and do some prep in the hotel, and it's
10:08 am
fascinating in this photo because you can see the length that is they went to that his team went to to really replicate the conditions that they'll face here in dan ville, kentucky. that's a picture taken in a second story or pardon me, a second floor ballroom. the table is the same dimension and shape. joe bide seven on the left as he will be. paul ryan played by chris van holland. very familiar with paul ryan, who is the chairman. is he there on the right. the woman that you see from behind playing the moderator is actually shayla murray, the vice president's communications director, also a former washington post reporter standing in as martha radditz. >> briana, real quickly here because we are running our time, but do we expect to hear the vice president address some of the things that they had expected to hear from president obama? namely, the 47%, mitt romney's record at bain capital, and how
10:09 am
much taxes mitt romney actually pays? >> you know, certainly we are waiting for that. suzanne, the truth is i can't tell you the answer to that because his team is playing very close to the vest. maybe what he may sort of bring up. certainly we aren't privy to the questions that martha radditz is going to ask, but it was noted that president obama did not bring up the 47% at his gee bait. now, what iing going to be polc that wasn't part of the debate last week in nver it is going to be a part of the debate here, and this is very important to keep an eye on because it's a big strength for the vice president, but at the same time the obama administration is facing a ton of criticism over libya from the romney-ryan ticket, and so he is also vulnerable and we'll be seeing how that pans out tonight. >> all right. briana keiller, thank you. appreciate it. >> watch the vice presidential debate. it is happening tonight right here on cnn, cnn.com. our coverage starting at 7:00 eastern. here's what we're working on for this hour. >> the perception battle. it had will happen the moment bide sxen ryan take the stage,
10:10 am
and the age gap between the two will be front and center. while their husbands take the stage, the wives will be sitting on the edge of their seats. we'll look at the lives of jenna ryan and jill biden. plus, she's moderating tonight's debate, but martha radditz is facing criticism for knowing president obama too well. he attended her wedding back in the 1990s. that's the power of human resources. the society... for human resource management and its members know... how to harness that power, because we help develop it. from the next economy, to the next generation, we help get... the most out of business, by getting the best out of people. shrm. leading people, leading organizations.
10:11 am
and the candidate's speech is in pieces all over the district. the writer's desktop and the coordinator's phone are working on a joke with local color. the secure cloud just received a revised intro from the strategist's tablet. and while i make my way into the venue, the candidate will be rehearsing off of his phone. [ candidate ] and thanks to every young face i see out there. [ woman ] his phone is one of his biggest supporters. [ female announcer ] with cisco at the center... working together has never worked so well. [ female announcer ] with cisc♪ at the center... ♪ hi dad. many years from now, when the subaru is theirs... hey. you missed a spot. ...i'll look back on this day and laugh.
10:12 am
love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. with odor free aspercreme. powerful medicine relieves pain fast,
10:13 am
with no odor. so all you notice is relief. aspercreme. joe bide sxen paul ryan step up on the stage pour tonight's debate, and one perception issue they face will be about age. joe bide seven 27 years older than his opponent, and how is the generation gap going to play out in debate? our own wolf blitzer is skwloin us from washington. wolf, you and i are both spring chickens we don't have to worry about this kind of thing. largest age gap between candidates in a pretty long time. do you think it matters? >> no, i don't really think it matters. i think they will both be at the top of their game. they have been really, really preparing both of them in depth now for not just the last few days, but for weeks and weeks and weeks. the pressure is on the vice president given the relatively poor performance of the president last week.
10:14 am
he has to step up to the plate, and paul ryan is really qualified. he is smart. he knows what is he talking about. this is going to be a strong dough bait. the area that i think biden will have the advantage in is in foreign policy, national security. he has a wealth of -- a much greater experience in those areas. he knows the subjects a lot better international affairs than paul ryan knows those subjects, and martha radditz, the moderator is a foreign policy expert herself. biden will have the advantage in that area. >> we know that president obama and you know all of these people fairly well. that he is much more buttoned up and more formal. joe biden is pretty easy going, but prone to gaffs, and then you have romney, he is more formal. especially and then ryan more appealing to younger voters here. who do you think has the upper hand when it comes to like ability, which seems to be pretty important in debates? >> well, there may be a generational issue as well. >> i think biden can relate with a lot of older people.
10:15 am
older people vote in bigger percentages that younger people, so in an election like this, they're more important because they tend to show up and actually vote. younger people they don't necessarily go out in those kind of percentages and vote. >> his decision to try to create these vouchers for people 55 and younger. ryan has strong responses in that area, just like mitt romney had last week. medicare is going to be a big issue tonight. >> sure. one of the things that -- this sputs them in the spotlight, and do you think that either one of them is thinking about 2016? >> kwlonk they're necessarily thinking about 2016 right now, although vice president biden has left open the ponlt of running in 2016. i suspect hillary clinton might be thinking about that as well.
10:16 am
rvr was in his 70s when he ran for president as well. i think biden is an ambitious guy. he has tried to run for president twice before. it didn't work out, but he is the vice president. paul ryan is a young guy. he is only 42 years old. i suspect even if romney-ryan loses, he has a huge future. he is very popular with the conservative base of the republican party. he is intelligent, smart, good-looking. i suspect he is going to be moving as well, but right now they're not worried about 2016. they're worried about tonight. it will be a lot of fun. we're in it for the long haul. good to see you, as always. >> biden-ryan, they have one thing in common. the support of their wives. we're going to look at the two women who will be on the edge of their seats tonight. [ male announcer ] this is anna, her long day teaching the perfect swing
10:17 am
begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye.
10:18 am
10:19 am
excitement ahead of tonight's presidential debate. paul ryan trying to keep the republican momentum going. joe biden trying to turn the
10:20 am
tide. joining us from washington to talk about it, democratic strategist donna brazil, republican strategist anna navarro. both cnn contributeors. we think that millions, 70 million last go round, maybe it will be more, 07 million for the last presidential debate, will be watching tonight, and the two who will be watching closest we anticipate because janna ryan and joe biden the wives. what do we know, anna, first of all, about. >> president obama and mitt romney will be watching this the closest. second to them will be jenna ryan and jill biden. what do we know about jenna ryan? we don't know much. she has been a private person even during the campaign. i think that's been design. knee got three small children. i suspect she's very much trying to protect their privacy. look, these two ladies, though, seem to be fantastic. we do know a lot about jill
10:21 am
biden, and about jenna, she's a tax lawyer. she's no ditzy blonde. she's a smart woman. has her tax law degree. she worked in washington. they have three small children. she's chosen to do the same thing that jill biden did when joe biden was elected senator, which is to keep the family at home, to keep the family at the district, which is something a lot of congressional spouses do as they feel that the family and the kids grow up more grounded. >> donna, tell us about jill biden. she's on the public stage, and she's a professional in her own right and regarding education, and she's often in the spotlight. awhat does she bring to the table here? >> well, discipline. she's the teacher, the educator. she's a wonderful witty person. she loves teaching, but, auz know, as the second lady of the united states mrs. biden has
10:22 am
been focused on military families, working with the first lady, michelle obama, and reaching out to these individuals all over the country, but she cares deeply about children, about issues that involve young people, and i admire her because she spends time each week on college campuses, so i think she will bring a great deal of fortitude to this race. she's already been out there and i admire her so much. >> let's turn the conversation here obviously to the debate that we're going to be watching, d people are -- they're still talking about the presidential debate and how disappointed they were with president obama. he tried to explain that he was too polite during his -- during the debate, and he explained this on the tom joiner morning show. let's listen. >> the debate is fair to say i was just too polite because it's hard to sometimes gist keep on saying what you are saying isn't
10:23 am
true. it gets repetitive. it's fair to say that we will see a little more activity at the next one. we're looking forward to the next one here to see what it looks like, what it feels like. >> do you buy that case that he was too lite? >> he was defer he shall. he left so many items, you know, off the table that he could have really gotten under mitt romney's skin. not just on the 47%, but the fact that, you know, mr. romney has not been forthcoming with some of the ideas that he has proposed on the campaign trail. the problem, i think, is that mitt romney shows up, and you think that you're going to be fighting a severe conservative or whatever he calls himself, and then you got mitt the moderate. you know, well, wait a minute. you sound more like me than you sound like yourself two days ago. i think president obama needs to just stay focused on the issue, talk to the american people, tell us where you plan to take
10:24 am
us over the next four years and ignore all of those ridiculous claims and lies that we keep hearing from the other side. >> donna, one thing that nobody is ignoring is bill clinton. the former president bill clinton, and he was definitely a stand-out we all saw at the democratic national convention. folks came up to me and said could he run again? unfortunately, he can't. here's what he has been sounding like lately on the campaign trail. listen to this. >> i had a different reaction to that first debate that a lot of people did. i mean, i saw -- i thought, wow, here's old moderate mitt. where you been, boy? i missed you all these last two years. >> is this their secret weapon here? the more he talks, the more people seem to be generating enthusiasm and seem to be getting on board? >> well, first of all, let me confess, i am a bill clinton loving republican, and i love to see his complete rehabilitation. i think donna was being too
10:25 am
polite in the last answer. president obama wasn't being too polite. he was too dead, too flat, too slow, and i think that bill clinton is terrific. we are -- you know, nobody has the touch on the stump, the touch with the people. none of the four running on this ticket have the kind of touch that bill clinton does with people, but putting bill clinton out also does something that's not helpful to president obama. it is that we make the comparison, and we see that president obama, well, he ain't no bill clinton. >> all right. we've got to leave it there. we will all be watching very closely. of course, we'll bring you guys back on the other end of this to analyze it as well. thanks, donna. good to see you both. ann wra. >> is it mission impossible? joe biden trying to turn things around, change the momentum on the campaign? we'll see. don't forget, y can watch live on your computer and while you're at work. head to cnn.com/tv. on gasoline. i am probably going to the gas station about once a month.
10:26 am
last time i was at a gas station was about...i would say... two months ago. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. i go to the gas station such a small amount that i forget how to put gas in my car. [ male announcer ] and it's not just these owners giving the volt high praise. volt received the j.d. power and associates appeal award two years in a row. ♪ these are sandra's "homemade" yummy, scrumptious bars. hmm? i just wanted you to eat more fiber. chewy, oatie, gooeyness... and fraudulence. i'm in deep, babe. you certainly are. [ male announcer ] fiber one.
10:27 am
then you may be looking for help in choosing the ght plan for your needs. so don't wait. call now. whatever your health coverage needs, unitedhealthcare can help you find the right plan. open enrollment to choose your medicare coverage begins october 15th and ends december 7th. so now is the best time to review your options and enroll in a plan. medicare has two main parts, parts a and b, to help cover a lot of your expenses, like hospital care... and doctor visits. but they still won't cover all of your costs.
10:28 am
now's the time to learn about unitedhealthcare plans that may be right for you. are you looking for something nice and easy? a medicare advantage plan can give you doctor, hospital and prescription drug coverage all in one plan... for nothing more than what you already pay for part b. you'll also have the flexibility to change doctors from a network of providers dedicated to helping you stay healthy. call now to learn more. unitedhealthcare has the information you need so you'll be better prepared when making medicare decisions. maybe you'd just like help paying for your prescriptions. consider a part d prescription drug plan. it may help reduce the cost of your prescription drugs. remember, open enrollment ends friday, december 7th. we can help. call unitedhealthcare to learn about medicare plans that may be right for you. call now.
10:29 am
it is the veepal candidates turn. right here on cnn starting at 7:00 eastern. want you to take a look at this exclusive photo here of the vice president preparing for the debate in delaware. we are told he has been in an intensive debate camp, even reproducing the desk, the stage, having folks fill in as the mott raider and his opponent. the place for tonight's debate, danville, kentucky. it is on stage at a small college campus. want to bring in david freelander. he is in danville right now. he is a senior political correspondent for "news week" and "the daily beast." great to see you. you have a great seat there. of course, you'll be watching it center stage. now, you wrote a really interesting article, and you really put it squarely on the vice president's shoulders to fix the damage essentially done to the two-party ticket here. how does he do that tonight? >> well, you know, we talk a lot
10:30 am
in politics about people being happy away warriors, and joe biden is the quintessential happy warrior. he can smile and stick the knife in at the same time. >> describe it. what does that look like? >> well, i mean, i think it's really for him it's going to be a matter of not letting mitt romney get away with things that many democrats thought -- not let paul ryan get away with many things democrats thought mitt romney got away w away with last time. nail them down on their budget and -- >> i want you to watch this. this is joe biden debate action over the years. take a look. >> hey, bill, 1979, i was -- i led a delegation of 19 senators to negotiate in the start agreement with -- i was deeply involved with bosnia as the first lady and now senator clinton will join us. i was negotiating while you were still in congress, man.
10:31 am
>> i don't know what it's like to have a child that you're not sure is going to make it. >> rudy giuliani probably the most underqualified man since george bush to seek the presidency is here talking about any of the people here. rudy giuliani. i mean, think about it. rudy giuliani, there's only three thing he mentioned in his sentence, a noun, a verb, and 9/11. there's nothing else. there's nothing else. i mean it sincerely. he is genuinely not qualified to be president. >> so, david, that was very interesting because we saw a number of things that he did there. he used personal stories wresh got emotional. he used attack lines very effectively. i mean, he is very experienced in debating. first of all, what does he need to do tonight and how does ryan, how does he counter this? >> well, to your second question, someone deskibd it to me as brains versus brass, and have you in joe biden someone who is really able to connect, i
10:32 am
think, with voters. especially in the heartland. those kind of middle class middle income voters. you know, that second clip you showed of him with sarah palen, that was one of the more effecting debate moments i have ever seen, and the third one noun, verb, 9/11, that's the sort of catch phrase from the 2008 primary debate. so, you know, we'll need to see. i think with paul ryan we'll see just him roll out a lot of facts, figures, and probably try to moderate a lot of what he has said, a lot of what some of the hash sher aspects of the ryan budget. >> we've also seen ryan. he is very much into the numbers. obviously. we've also seen him appealing to younger folks, and he seems to draw them in, and bring them in a little bit more so than mitt romney. how important is that tonight? zi think it's very important. obviously, there's a big for republicans, but anything they can do to break apart that coalition and pull some of those
10:33 am
voters on to their side. >> all right. david freelander, good to see you. we'll be watching and ask for you on the other end after it's all over. thank you. as we said, joe biden no stranger to vice presidential key baits. remember this? >> nice to meet you. hey, can i call you joe? thanks. thank you. >> [ mujahid ] there was a little bit of trepidation, not quite knowing what the next phase was going to be, you know, because you been, you know, this is what you had been doing. you know, working, working, working, working, working, working. and now you're talking about, well you know, i won't be,
10:34 am
and i get the chance to spend more time with my wife and my kids. it's my world. that's my world. ♪
10:35 am
10:36 am
. 26 days until the legs. things heelgt up fast. even people in his own party were disappointed with president obama's showing in last week's first presidential debate. well, now the democrats, they are hoping that vice president joe biden is going to turn things around. he is going to square off with mitt romney's running mate, paul ryan. that happens tonight. it's not going to be the first time that joe biden has fwased off with a tough competitor. anderson cooper has the story. >> it started with a warm handshake and smiles all around. a friendly start to the vice
10:37 am
presidential debate in 2008 hitting joe biden against then relative newcoomber to the national stage, alaska governor sarah palin. >> john mccain said at 9:00 in the morning that the fundamentals of the competent were strong. 11:00 that same day john mccain said we have an economic crisis. >> we're tiled tired of the old politics -- i do respect your years, but i think americans are craving something new and different. >> biden was on his best behavior. carefully aiming his attacks at her running mate john mccain, not at palin herself. that was by design. >> he had to be careful not to be talking down to her in any way, want only because she didn't have any national experience, but also because she was a woman, and both of those things are a little tricky to deal with. >> despite a lack of substance in many of her answers analysts say palin did just fine in that debate. >> say it ain't so, joe. there you go again -- >> partly because biden didn't
10:38 am
challenge her directly muc >> it's good to see you all. >> biden will be on the debate stage once again against a much more seasoned politician this time, and he is expected to come out swinging. >> he is fast on the cuff. he is a witty guy. he knows who he is. he has been doing this for 40 years, so you're not going to rattle joe biden. joe is very good on the attack. >> don't forget, the traditional role of a vice presidential candidate is to go on the attack. that's their job, so i think we'll see a lot more of that in the vice presidential debate than we did in the first presidential debate. >> vice presidential debates have been contentious in the past. in 1948 then vice president george h.w. bush seemed condee sending against geraldine ferraro. >> let me help you with the distance between iran and the embassy in lebanon. >> congresswoman ferraro. >> let me just say, first of all, that i almost resent vice president bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach
10:39 am
me about foreign policy. >> in 1988 dan quayle's self-comparison to john f. kennedy drew this blistering response there his opponent lloyd benson. >> senator, you're no jack kennedy. >> the debate in 1992 was described as a free-for-all with dan quayle and al gore continually interrupting each other. >> in foreign countries, foreign aid -- senator, it is in your book on page -- >> vice president dick cheney and senator john edwards barely kept their debate civil in 2004 with cheney blasting edwards for his attendance record in congress. >> the first time i ever met you was when you walked on this stage tonight. >> biden is expected to go after paul ryan on issues like medicaid, social security, and foreign policy. >> i wouldn't be surprised if he got a zinger or two from joe biden. i don't think he is worried about being perceived as talking down to paul ryan. >> and the personal moments could matter too. biden showed his emotional side during his last debate.
10:40 am
>> look, i understand what it's like to be a single parent. when my wife and daughter died and my two sons were gravely injured, i understand what it's like as a parent to wonder whether you're kid is going to make it. >> because they've never gone head-to-head against each other, in this debate, just like last week's, anything could happen. anderson cooper, cnn, new york. watch the vice presidential debate tonight live right here on cnn and cnn.com. our coverage starting at 7:00 eastern. what are the five things that you should look for in tonight's debate? we'll tell you up ne. the most dependable, longest lasting, full-size pickups on the road. so, what do you think? [ engine revs ] i'll take it. [ male announcer ] it's chevy truck month. now during chevy truck month, get 0% apr financing for 60 months or trade up to get the 2012 chevy silverado all-star edition with a total value of $8,000. hurry in before they're all gone!
10:41 am
i"i'm not in favor of a a$5 trillion tax cut. that's not my plan." mitchell: "the nonpartisan tax policy center concluded that mitt romney's tax plan would cost $4.8 trillion over 10 years." vo: why won't romney level with us about his tax plan, which gives the wealthy huge new tax breaks? because according to experts, he'd have to raise taxes on the middle class - or increase the deficit to pay for it. if we can't trust him here... how could we ever trust him here? i just served my mother-in-law your chicken noodle soup but she loved it so much... i told her it was homemade. everyone tells a little white lie now and then. but now she wants my recipe [ clears his throat ] [ softly ] she's right behind me isn't she? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. approved! [ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'.
10:42 am
10:43 am
>> we are looking at some fresh pictures. new video coming in now out of danville. this is the site of the vice presidential debate, and this is actually the vice president's motorcade that is arriving there. you see the pictures. you have the police cruiser that, of course, leads the motorcade and then the two limousines there, both with flags. one is a decoy, and one is carrying the vice president, and some of his top aides along with
10:44 am
secretervice and security detail, but the excitement is growing. it's building as now the vice president arriving there at the debate site. they'll do some sound checks and they'll practice, they'll do a walk-through before they start, but he has been practicing quite a bit when it comes to debate, and that is just hours away. we'll be watching. the running mates, of course, facing off tonight in a one and only vice presidential debate of the campaign. the place, of course, center college in danville, kentucky. congressman paul ryan, vice president joe biden side-by-side taking on the issues as well as each other. there's a lot at stake, especially for vice president biden and the democrats. our political team put together a list, five things, five things to watch out for. it's hard not to watch out for everything, but just five. political editor paul steinhauser and peter hanby at the debate site. you're talking about biden going where obama didn't. explain that. >> you got it. yeah. you just showed those live pictures, and that is right behind us. this is the center for the arts where the debate will be held tonight. yeah, the vice president, i
10:45 am
think, a lot of democrats, suzanne, were a little upset maybe last weekhrede obama for not really going on the attack against mitt romney, so i think look to see if vice president biden goes where the president didn't go. well, he mentioned mitt ro's 47% controversy. will he mention bain capital? you know, romney's time at bain capital. will he mention the tax returns? will biden go more after the guy not on the stage with him, rather than the guy who is on the stage with him? peter, i think it's fair to say, listen, joe biden is not a shy man on the campaign trail. will he be the same way tonight in the debate? >> you're right about the wonk trap here. how important is it for ryan to actually avoid getting into the weeds? >> yeah. i mean, paul ryan is a self-described numbers guy. when he asked him about politics, he says, no, i'm a policy guy. his whole career has been in washington, like joe biden. he has been a hill staffer. he has worked as a think tank. he has been on the hill. americans are still learning about paul ryan. google released some data today saying, you know, the difference in the number of google searches between ryan and biden is pretty
10:46 am
wide. paul ryan is by far -- has more google interest. as he is introducing himself to americans, he has to, you know, talk about the romney campaign and their program and their issues without sounding too much like a policy wonk because he does have a tendency to do that tonight. he has done a good job of that so far on the xaen trail, but, suzanne, this is a much, much bigger audience tonight. >> we'll see if he brings out the white board like he usually does in congress. talk about social security. could be a big issue. how would biden use that to his advantage here, paul? >> well, i'm going to actually let peter jump in on that one because you wrote about that one, dent you? >> no, sure. either one of us. yeah, president obama, you know, really frustrated a lot of democrats last week on the debate when he said surprisingly that there's no difference between himself and governor romney on social security. a lot of democrats said this took the issue off the table. this is an issue that democrats have used as a cogile saying they want to privatize social security. guess what, in past budgets paul
10:47 am
ryan has suggested using private accounts to reform social security. the obama campaign has tried to push that a little bit back into the discussion, and we'll see tonight if joe biden tries to raise it again even after president obama said there are no differences in their plans when, you know, in actuality there just might be, suzanne. >> paul, you talked a little bit about how important it is for ryan to appear as commander in chief. how does that work for him? is that playing to one of his strengths or weaknesses? >> well, this is interesting because, you know, vice president biden doesn't really have to do this. he is already the vice president. paul ryan is the running mate to the challenger, he, and he has to prove that. paul ryan needs to tell americans, at least convince americans that he is ready to take over in the leading role. i spoke with some romney campaign officials, and they saw, listen, they're very comfortable at this. they say because of paul ryan's command ofhe issues andis stature as the budget chairman that he will be able to portrait to americans that, yes, he would be able to take over, even though he is only 42 years old, a young irman, but he will be
10:48 am
able to serve as commander in chief. they're not that concerned about this, but it is an important thing for him to do in this debate. i'll be looking at that, suzanne. >> peter and paul, good to see you, guys. we'll be watching. thank you. five things to look out for. sdmrirchlt pressure is on, of course. martha radditz playing referee at tonight's debate, she's getting some heat from some critics about her tie to the president. ♪ ♪ we're lucky, it's not every day you find a companion as loyal as a subaru. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. his morning starts with arthritis pain. and two pills. afternoon's overhaul starts with more pain. more pills. triple checking hydraulics. the evening brings more pain. so, back to more pills. almost done, when... hang on. stan's doctor recommended aleve.
10:49 am
it can keep pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is rudy. who switched to aleve. and two pills for a day free of pain. ♪ [ female announcer ] and try aleve for relief from tough headaches.
10:50 am
10:51 am
in the run-up to tonight's the's focusn the moderator, as well. martha radditz. want to bring in howard kurtz to talk about a little bit about this. joining us via skype from martha, an excellent journalist, an amazing career. war coverage. white house coverage. nothing but praise here. tell us about her style, about her work ethic and what kind of
10:52 am
style do you think she's going to bring? what role will she play tonight? >> well, unlike most of the moderators she's a lifelong correspondent. not a host or an anchor and because she's flown combat missions, for example, ge to iraq 21 times, she is really going to know what she is talking about with pinning the two candidates down and so i don't think she's going to make it about her as a flamboyant anchor might. i think we are in for good questioning. >> yeah. we have watched her really take on the president from time to time from that briefing room and as a colleague. there is some controversy. there's some people who criticizing saying that she has too close a relationship with the president. why are people alleging that? >> well, because i guess certain critics on the right can't find any stories to criticize where martha might have been unfair. to go back 21 years to when she got married to a guy she's no longer married and the man was
10:53 am
on the harvard law review at the time and was a student named barack obama. obama was one of the law review colleagues who attended the wedding. that's it. to say she has a relationship with barack obama and because the guy was at the wedding 21 years ago this might affect it, the questions of vice president biden seems to me to be a real stretch. all right. let's talk about the debate and the format. quite different than the first go-around with the presidential debate. how does this make a difference? a table where they're sitting side to side. >> well, that's a more conversational opportunity which i think is good. the podiums can make them both stiff. it's a more traditional format in the sense of nine segments beginning with two-minute answers of each candidate and more of a free for all. different also because there's only one face-off between paul ryan and joe biden. half of the debate devoted to foreign affairs roughly and half to domestic affairs.
10:54 am
it is not going to be -- i don't think we'll see as we saw in the first debate where there's fights over time and the candidates will go at it without the moderator stepping in rather forcefully. >> looks like they're all sitting at the same table, a much more intimate setting. if you were either one of these individuals who's participating tonight, what would you learn from the first debate between the president and mitt romney? >> that a good offense always beats a good defense and particularly since barack obama by his own admission had a flat outing that first night, there's more pressure on vice present biden to be aggressive, to take on the romney-ryan ticket in a way that president obama did not. that's a little harder to without seeming to be overaggressive. easier on a big stage at a podium and biden will have to find the right tone in order to attack and not seem harsh and ryan, of course, is experienced
10:55 am
congressional debater and will have a lot of facts and figures and undoubtedly this will turn on the ryan budget, welfare and whether romney shares the positions and it's a sub instant ty 90 minutes. >> what kind of body language are you looking for tonight? what are we looking for from either one of the candidates? >> what i'd like to see is one to grab the other's arm but it's a very different challenge for joe biden than four years ago going up against sarah palin who was not well-known and became a cultural phenomenon. i expect the body language two pretty experienced politicians who know how to duel and would do it in the sort of civil way that members of congress disagree. you know, the esteemed gentleman is totally wrong. i will be surprised if it's just a wonk fest. i think we'll see attack lines on both sides because as we get closer to the election and even though this is a number two spot
10:56 am
on the ticket, i think the stakes are getting quite high. >> all right. thank you, howard. good to see you as always. a word to joe biden from jay le leno. don't be yourself. d weight loss. but their shakes aren't always made for people with diabetes. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. and they have six grams of sugars. with fifteen grams of protein to help manage hunger... look who's getting smart about her weight. [ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes.
10:57 am
i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant. no way. [ male announcer ] sorry. alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting decongestant to relieve your stuffy nose. thanks. [ male announcer ] you're welcome. that's the cold truth! [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus. ♪ oh what a relief it is! [ male announcer ] try new alka-seltzer plus severe allergy to treat allergy symptoms plus sinus congestion and pain.
10:58 am
10:59 am
late night comedians already making jokes about tonight's vice presidential debate. >> vice president joe bide enand paul ryan, they're debating and both try to appeal to the working class. and i laughed. i enjoyed that when i said america still has a working class? i don't think so. no. everybody's gone. >> white house worried, you know? biden's handlers telling him, whatever you do, don't be yourself. be anybody else. >> next week, there's another presidential debate. it's a town hall format which means average citizens will have a once in a lifetime chance to ask the most powerful men in the